Fabric article everting device having releasable latching means



United States Patent Aaron Glassman Scranton, Pa.

Aug. I9, 1969 Dec. 15, 1970 Pennsylvania Sewing Research Corp. a corporation of Pennsylvania Inventor Appl. No. Filed Patented Assignee FABRIC ARTICLE EVERTING DEVICE HAVING RELEASABLE LATCHING MEANS 5 Claims, 6 Drawing Figs.

US. Cl 223/40 Int. Cl A4lh 43/00 Field of Search 223/39-42 {56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,l 19,266 5/1938 Chester 223/40 3,467,289 9/1969 Preston 223/40 Primary Examiner--.Iordan Franklin Assistant Examiner-George V. Larkin Attorney- Le Roy Greenspan BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to a novel device for evening tubular fabric articles, such as belts, ties and other elongate articles.

Tubular fabric articles such as fabric belts, are ordinarily sewn with their front sides faced inwardly. Then, the articles are turned or everted so that the frontside of the fabric is faced outwardly. One method for achieving this turning or everting is to slip the sewn article over a rigid tube, then sliding a rod into the tube, thereby pushing the article into the tube causing it to become everted. When the article protrudes from the tube, it is pulled through manually. One problem with this prior method is that the corners of the article are incompletely turned and must be worked out by hand after the article has been pulled through the tube.

An object of this invention is to provide an improved device for everting tubular fabric articles wherein the corners of the article may be easily and completely everted before removal from the apparatus.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The novel apparatus comprises a support member having a hole therein, a rigid'tube mounted at one end thereof on the support over the hole, a rod slidable from a first position spaced from the other end of the tube to a second position within the tube and extending beyond the one end. There are also means for pulling the rod from the first position to the second position, means for returning the rod from the second position to the first position, and means for releasably latching the rod in the second position.

In operation, an article to be turned is slipped over the tube and the rod is pulled from its first position to its second position until it is latched there. The pulling causes the article to become everted in the tube. Then, with the rod latched in its second position, the end of the article may be grasped manually and worked to complete the eversion in the corners of the article. Upon completion, the article is pulled through the tube, and the rod unlatched and returned to its first position.

By providing a means for releasably latching the rod, the working of the corner may be completed in the apparatus, instead of at a subsequent station. Furthermore, the rod can be used to aid in turning the corners, thereby speeding and simplifying the operation.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. I is an elevational view of the novel device with the rod in its first position.

FIG. 2 is a perspectiveview of the latching means and lower rod guide of the device shown in FIG. 1 with the rod in its second position.

FIG. 3 is a partially broken away elevational view of the latching means of the device of FIG. I with the rod in its second position.

FIG. 4 is a sectional elevational view of the tube of the device of FIG. I with an article partially pushed through and everted by the rod.

FIGS. 5 and 6 are elevational views of the tube ofthe device of FIG. I with an article pushed by the rod to its second position, illustrating how the corners are worked to complete the eversion.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT The device illustrated in FIG. I comprises a support member 21 having a hole 23 therein. One end of an elongate rigid tube 25 is mounted in an upright position on the support over the hole. A tubular column 27 is also mounted in an upright position on the support 21, and has thereon an upper rod guide 29 and a lower rod guide 31. A rod 33 passes through the upper and lower rod guides 29 and 31. The rod 33 is normally held in its "up" or first position by a chain 35 attached at one end to the rod 33'which passes over a pulley 37 and then down within the tubular column 27, where the other end is attached to a spring (not shown). The device is typically mounted on a table 39 with screws through the support member 21. The upward travel of the rod 33 is limited by a pulldown handle 43 fixedly mounted on the rod 33 and a resilient washer 41 between the handle 43 and the upper guide 29.

A conical tooth 45 is also fixedly mounted on the rod 33 just below the handle 43 with the narrow end down. Integral with and part of the lower rod guide 31 is a pivotally mountedlatching bar 47 which is urged against the rod 33. When the handle 43 is pulled down, the rod slides from its first position shown in FIG. I downward against the spring tension applied through the chain 35. The rod 33 slides down to its down or second position, where the tooth 45 bears against the lower guide 31 as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3. As the tooth 45 passes the latching bar 47, the bar 47 slides over and behind the tooth 45, thereby latching the rod 33 in its second position. The latching bar 47 is urged against the rod 33 by a compressed spring 49 (FIG. 3) mounted within the lower guide 31. The rod 33 may be unlatched by pressing the finger hold 5i, so that the latching bar 47 pivots around a pin 53.

The eversion of an article in the device is illustrated in FIGS. 4, 5 and 6. In making a belt, a long narrow strip of fabric is folded and sewn along one side and one end with the front side of the fabric inward. The sewn strip 61 is slipped over the tube 25. The rod 33 is slid from its first position to its second position, pushing the material 61 ahead of it and everting the article as it slips over the edge of the tube 25 as shown in FIG. 4. When the rod 33 reaches its second position, the latch bar 47 engages the conical tooth 45, thereby preventing the rod from sliding back. At this position, the rod 33 and the material 61 are in the tube 25 and extend beyond the support member 21, as shown in FIGS. 5 and 6. The operator may grasp the material 61 with his finger and move the material back and forth against the rod 33 until one corner (FIG. 5) and then the other corner (FIG. 6) of the material are completely everted. Then, the material is simply pulled through the support member and out of the device. Then, the latching bar 47 is depressed against the pressure of the spring 49, and the rod 33 is drawn to its first position by the spring tension acting through the chain 35.

The novel device, because of the releasable latching means, permits the operator to evert the corners of the fabric article in the device with the aid of the rod using one or both hands. No additional operators or stations are required. The article may thereby be turned more quickly and cheaply than by the previous practice.

lclaim: I

l. A device for everting tubular fabric articles comprising:

a support member having a hole therein;

an elongate rigid tube, one end of said tube being mounted on said support over said hole, said tube being adapted to receive thereover a fabric article to be everted;

'a rod slidable from a first position spaced from the other end of said tube to a second position within said tube and extending beyond said one end of said tube;

means for pulling said rod from said first position to said second position;

means for returning said rod from said second position to said first position; and

means for releasably latching said rod in said second positron.

2. The device defined in claim I wherein said latching means comprises a tooth on said rod and means for engaging said tooth when said rod is in said second position.

3. The device defined in claim I wherein said latching means comprises a cone-shaped tooth on said rod with the small end of said cone toward said sleeve, and a latching member adjacent and urged against said rod.

5. The device defined in claim 1 wherein said latching means is releasable manually. 

